Noob question on SPC-Powers and Effects

[nevermoresnight]

Hey everyone,

I'm in the process of setting up my first FGU campaign as a game master. I've already played in a 5e Curse of Strahd campaign but have never encountered the GM facing side of this VTT.

I want to run Necessary Evil with the SWADE rules. I've bought everything I need (I think) and some of my players have already created their characters on paper beforehand. Now I'm trying to get those characters into the FGU framework and have some trouble with the automation of Super Powers:

One of my players wants to go very tanky, so she got Toughness and Armor as Super Powers, the former being permanently active while the latter has the "Heavy Armor" and the "Requires Activation" modifiers. I understand that since these powers have variable values, I can't just drag and drop them onto the character sheet, but I don't understand how to integrate their effects into the power after I've added it to the character. The following guide mentions that you can write specific effects "into attacks or powers. These effects only apply when using the attack or power and must be prefixed with >" (https://fantasygroundsunity.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FGCP/pages/996643800/Savage+Worlds+Effects#Attack-specific-effect-expressions).

Now I've tried to do the following:

For the automation of the Toughness power I've just added [Toughness +7] in the power's keywords - but that doesn't change anything. I think that is because when I write effects into powers, I can only use those effect expressions that are mentioned in the guide with the ">"? I understand that I can also simply change the character's Toughness by right-clicking on it on the traits section of the character sheet, but I would prefer to be able to integrate this permanent effect into the power. Am I doing something wrong or is it simply impossible?
For the Armor power I tried using the following effect expression, which I put into the power's keywords: "[> Armor 8,> #Heavy Armor +1]: [D:100]" but that doesn't seem to work either? I can't find a trigger to use the power on a character - not even in the power's linked description. I also tried to create an attack in the combat bar of the character sheet with the same expression, so that I have a trigger, but it also does nothing. What am I doing wrong here?



I'm sorry if these are very dumb questions to ask x) And also sorry for my bad english

[zarlor]

Couple of possibilities, but the first thing is to make sure the character is loaded in the Combat Tracker. Nothing really quite works right if what you are working with isn't in the CT. (You can also add to the Party Sheet which can be useful for a GM, while you're at it.) That's probably the biggest mistake most of us make is not realizing how tightly integrated the CT is with things like effects. The other thing is where you put the effect. It can work in lots of places but some spots it doesn't, but I'm not too sure off the top of my head what those places are (sorry). Still, that integration with CT can also mean you might not see something doing anything (at least on the character sheet) but you SHOULD see it in the output when it would get applied. So for that Toughness, for example, you can generate an attack that hits and throw some damage at that character and see if in the chat it shows all the things it applied. That's particularly true for those > effects as they are tightly tied to things coming in or going out and only applies the effects in those situations.

Not sure if that helps but maybe it's something to check?

EDIT: Also, not dumb questions at all, they can throw all of us off! And your English seems fine to me, but of course I'm an American so all the Brits will tell you I don't know anything about proper English anyway ;)

[zarlor]

Also I would add that I'm pretty sure you should be able to drag-and-drop things like Powers onto the sheet. Sure, you need to modify the level of them, but pulling them over should give the players the ability to link to the Power to see all the details. If you need to make sure they get "their" version just copy the power to personalize it, then you can change the text or whatever you like to fill it in with all of the specific details for them (say just the appropriate line from the Strength chart for someone with Super Strength or the like.) I don't have it up right now to play with but that's what I've done in the Savage Pathfinder game I'm currently running, where I copy Powers for players and set them with their trappings and name, etc., even name, to help personalize it. To copy them just in the appropriate section (like Powers) just drag-and-drop right there in that same box and you'll see two of them now, one that just no longer shows a sourcebook name next to it and that's your copy. So maybe another useful tip.

[Mike Serfass]

Effects on powers in the notes or text fields won't apply to a character.
Powers have an Effect section with a list of effects that are designed to be dragged and dropped onto characters in the combat tracker.
Those are temporary effects and most will count down each round. Not ideal for a permanent effect.

For permanent effects like toughness, add it to the character's toughness directly. Right click on the Toughness stat, click the +- icon (Info), and add a new entry.
61380

For an activated power, like armor, create a new custom effect named "Super Armor" or whatever. Add this effect

[Heavy Armor +8]
Also set the duration, since it's an activated power. Usually it's 5 rounds, but if his power has a longer duration, set it to that.
Then drop it on the character in the CT. You can hot key it so you just drag it from the hot bar. Or press the hot key keyboard shortcut and it will apply to the character in the CT with the turn marker on them.
You can also have players hot key effects and apply those themselves.
61381

The keywords field is not for effects, but is related. That for adding things like "Fire" to fire attacks, or "Psionic" to mental abilities. Effect can then work on those keywords.

[nevermoresnight]

Thanks to both of you, that cleared up most of my specific questions here I guess :) I'm still afraid that effects may trip me up from time to time, but for now I can go on :)